Republican Presidential Debate

Wednesday, September 16, 2015: Eleven Republican candidates meet in the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, to discuss their views for the upcoming Presidential election. With topics like foreign policy, terrorism, and personal things like what they would like their code name for the Secret Service to be raised, the debate proved to be an interesting two hours of arguments and well-spoken defenses.

According to readers of the Drudge Report, a website which contains many stories about things going on around the world, Donald Trump won the debate (followed by Fiorina and Cruz). According to most other news sites, Carly Fiorina was in the lead the whole debate, followed by Trump.

While Trump may be a multi-billionaire, money can’t buy debate skills. He was more comfortable going on the offense, accusing and pointing fingers at other candidates, than defending his position and justifying his statements. He attacked Jeb Bush twice, saying first that, “Your brother’s administration gave us Barack Obama because it was such a disaster… Abraham Lincoln couldn’t have been elected.” He was quickly put down by Bush with the response that his brother had kept them safe to heavy applause from the audience. Trump attacked Bush for the second time when he suggested that Bush’s Mexican-American wife was the reason that he had a different approach to reforming immigration. In response, Bush said, “To subject my wife into the middle of a raucous political conversation was completely inappropriate, and I hope you apologize for that, Donald. Why don’t you apologize to her right now.” Trump refused. He also seems to be uncomfortable talking about any subject other than immigration, as pointed out in an article on CNN’s webpage. He was completely silent when the topic was changed from immigration to foreign policy and terrorism. Shortly before the end of the debate, Trump was asked by a moderator what he would like his Secret Service code name to be. His response showed, once again, his large opinion of himself. “Humble.”

Carly Fiorina is quite possibly the best debater in this year’s group of Republican candidates. When attacked, she refuses to play dirty but instead gracefully and tactically puts her attacker to shame and earns a heavy round of applause from the audience each time. An example: Trump has said that nobody will vote for her because she is ugly. Later, he said that he was referring to her persona. The debate moderator then asked Ms. Fiorina what she thought of Trump’s persona, basically inviting her to insult him. She said, “You know, it’s interesting to me, Mr. Trump said that he heard Mr. Bush very clearly and what Mr. Bush said. I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said.” (She is recalling the fact that Trump refused to drop a mistake made and apologized for by Bush. Bush gave clear reasoning why he misspoke and what he actually thinks, but Trump refused to drop it.) The debate was turned over to other issues, escorted by a round of applause for Ms. Fiorina. She also made an incredible statement in regards to her opinion on abortion and Planned Parenthood, earning her another round of applause from spectators.

The other candidates that aren’t mentioned above (with the exception of Ben Carson) have faded into the background a bit, mainly due to the fact that they have not attacked other candidates. Christie did make a bold statement at the end of the debate, but he was silent for the majority of it. With Trump, Carson, Fiorina, and Bush leading the polls, we will have to wait for the next debate (Wednesday, October 28, 2015) to determine whether there will be a change in standings.